You're right, HB. But it's no fun watching a game get blown like this one!

A win tonight would have put us 7 games ahead of the Tigers. I'd like to be 10 games ahead of everyone by Sept. 1

No offense, J.R. Believe me, I was cussing tonight too. Just wanted to point out that Allen has been pretty damn good. Just one of those weird nights that happen. Bloop that falls in, seeing eye single. Next thing you know, grand slam.

Agree. Cody has been very good, but no one's perfect.

I'm sure Tito might have wanted to have Miller ready to help just in case but:

1. He doesn't want Miller up unnecessarily. Very conscious of that.

2. Maybe not cool to have Cody looking over his shoulder all the time now that Miller is aboard

It's not like the Detroit bullpen hasn't blown them games this year. So whatever, painful, but we move on 6 games up.

Or as my tennis buddy likes to say, "First world problem"

Miller pitched 2 innings day before and was not available last night.

Salazar with 3 walks a hit and 3 ER's in 1st inning tonight, then pulled.

Guess he wasn't quite ready yet eh?

Though "Mitch" from Dazed and Confused seems to be doing just fine in long relief.

Now if we could just stop hitting into inning ending double plays that would be just great.

I don't know if Salazar was ready, but he sure wasn't ready for 34 first inning high stress pitches.

That's why they have rehab starts, perhaps that would have been a better solution. Let Clevinger take one more turn while Salazar pitches in Akron, or wherever

Oh well, maybe they can come back and steal it anyways with Clevinger.

I love this team! Tribe wins!

OK, I think that qualifies as stealing a win! Great job by Crockett (gave Clevinger some time to get ready)/Clevinger/bullpen keeping them in it.

And then, as this team commonly does, no name guys Almonte and Naquin combine to win it in the 9th.

By the way, once again Almonte's right handed bat was in the middle of this win. Very much so.

So I can totally see Tito's reasoning in keeping and using him. You still have to get to the playoffs, first and foremost and he is doing the job. Like him or not.

We have Rajai, Chisenhall, Naquin, and even Guyer contributing at this point in addition to Almonte.

I do think they need to keep an eye open for another outfielder to pick up before September 1, but if they do find one it may not be Almonte being cut.

Besides, after September 1 the rosters can blow up. So I think Almonte is with the team for the duration of the regular season.

Besides, after September 1 the rosters can blow up. So I think Almonte is with the team for the duration of the regular season.

Good point TFIR!

no reason to remove Almonte, but do need to take some action to replace him for the postseason. Take a look at a post I put in the General folder on options for the post season roster. There's more flexibility than I realized.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Ramirez with RISP:

Two of the runs scored by Cleveland came courtesy of Jose Ramirez, who has excelled with runners in scoring position this season. The Tribe's sparkplug got things rolling with an RBI single in the fifth, scoring Carlos Santana from second for the 1st Indian's run to trim the deficit to 3-1. In the eighth, Ramirez pulled the game into a 4-4 deadlock with a single to right. With those hits, the third baseman improved his showing to .386 (39-for-101) with RISP this year.

I don't know how long Ramirez can keep this up (.386 clip with RISP) but I'm enjoying it for now. He's having one helluva year.